Being fully-entrenched in the digital age, marketing platforms such as social media, emails and videos have taken the world by storm. But more traditional approaches such as TV, radio and print, have still got a great deal of credibility and weight and many are still growing mediums. The savviest of brands are incorporating both. Take a look at how to effectively integrate traditional and modern platforms in a marketing campaign.

?The arrival and subsequent growth of modern technology, social media and digital advertising has clearly significantly impacted how consumers behave and how companies do business. With a prolific amount of the world now shopping through digital means, it is fair to say businesses and industries that don’t adapt to modern digital marketing and communication trends are losing out.

As digital advertising gathers momentum around the world, traditional marketing platforms are also having to adopt, seizing elements of digital whilst retaining tried and tested marketing methods to succeed.

Sky AdSmart

One example of this traditional and modern advertising blend can be found through Sky AdSmart.

Sky AdSmart is a new approach to traditional TV advertising. Prior to Sky AdSmart, TV consumers watching a program on a Sky channel would view the same adverts at the same time. With AdSmart, different adverts are show to different households viewing the same program.

This means that brands can now advertise on national channels but to their specific, target audiences.

When selecting the audience that will view the advert, advertisers have thousands of combinations to choose from. These combinations are based on numerous factors, including location, lifestyle and age. The data is collected from Sky’s own customer information using consumer profile experts like Experian.

By enabling advertisers to “cherry-pick their audiences”, TV advertising becomes much more efficient and takes out a lot of the guesswork. It also becomes more accessible to businesses that were traditionally unable to afford and therefore capitalise on TV advertising, such as SMEs, start-ups and niche brands.

Consequently, Sky AdSmart opens the playing field across traditional TV advertising and digital to the benefit of brands and businesses.

Outdoor advertising is stepping into the digital industry

It’s not just home-based forms of advertising that are moving into digital realms.

Out-of-home advertising (OOH) has long been an effective marketing strategy, both in the long and short term. However, similar to TV advertising, OOH is having to ‘digitally adapt’ in order to remain competitive.

A recent study conducted by the UK’s Channel 4 highlighted the important role OOH advertising must play in promoting its digital capabilities.

According to a survey of more than 200 marketing professionals released by the OOH advertiser, Clear Channel UK, ‘innovation’ was cited as one of the leading buying considerations under marketers who are under pressure to reach mass audiences.

In recent years some of the biggest players in OOH advertising, including JCDecaux, Primesight and Clear Channel have invested millions by implementing digital technology into the industry.

In 2013 a system called Route was released. Route is essentially GPS software which gives businesses unique insight and understanding of audiences based on their lifestyle, demographics and attitudes.

By providing insight into the visibility of outdoor advertising such as posters and banners, Route is an innovative way to exploit outdoor advertising by enabling advertisers to target consumers. It effectively allows brands to implement pioneering technology and engage with consumers on a more personal level.

Enabling companies to gain audience engagement

By being creative with digital technology, this traditional form of media is offering campaigns whereby companies can gain engagement in ways that were previously untouchable.

One example of this is can be found through Primesight, which provides a dynamic OOH advertising experience.

From static roadside billboard images to full motion advertising in a subway and audience interactivity when they are at the cinema, Primesight’s wide pool of digital outdoor formats that can be strategically positioned in equally diverse environments, enable businesses to creatively gain audience engagement like never before.

OOH is one of the oldest mediums of advertising but, thanks to investment into the industry, improved infrastructure and the transition into the digital age, this traditional form of marketing has claimed a leading place in the 21^st century.

Whilst the likes of social media, SEO, mobile technology and videos might have created a wealth of opportunities for marketers, traditional advertising such as TV and OOH are keeping pace, taking the world by storm and is being lapped up by the savviest of brands and businesses, who are incorporating such mediums into effective marketing campaigns.

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This blog post was written by Forward And Thinking Limited. Forward And Thinking are an innovative advertising and media agency based in the beautiful county of Yorkshire, successfully serving clients across the UK and internationally.